Information processing device for charging and its method

ABSTRACT

The present invention is relative to an information processing apparatus for receiving data, such as content data. During the time the content data is being downloaded by a terminal ( 501 ) over a communication network, the volume of downloaded data displayed is made smaller than the actual content data volume. When the download processing has substantially come to a close, the data volume is displayed to be 80% on a display unit ( 301 ). The user is able to interrupt the processing partway until the data volume indicating the completion of the downloading is displayed to be 80% on the display unit. After the downloading has come to a close, the operation on an interrupt button ( 321 ) or on a power supply button ( 320 ) is inhibited to enable reliable billing processing.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This invention relates to information processing methods andapparatus, a recording medium and a program. More particularly, itrelates to information processing methods and apparatus for reliablyperforming billing operations, to a recording medium having recordedthereon a program used for the information processing apparatus of thepresent invention, and to such program.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Recently, the Internet has become widespread, such thatdownloading contents such as audio or video data over the Internet forexploitation has come to be practiced frequently. In downloading thecontents, billing processing is usually practiced at a time point ofcompletion of the content downloading.

[0003] However, if, at a time point of completion of the contentdownloading, a power source button is intentionally operated in the OFFdirection to turn off the power supply of a receiving terminal, only thecontent data is stored in the receiving terminal, without the billingprocessing, with the result that the content may be illicitly acquiredfree of charge.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0004] In view of the above depicted status of the art, it is an objectof the present invention to reliably prohibit the content from beingacquired illicitly.

[0005] For accomplishing the above object, the present inventionprovides an information processing apparatus including receiving meansfor receiving data, interrupting means for interrupting receiptprocessing of the data partway, billing means for billing for thereceived data, and inhibiting means for inhibiting the interruptionprocessing by the interruption means until completion ofbillingprocessing by the billing means.

[0006] The information processing apparatus according to the presentinvention further includes display means for demonstrating the state ofreceipt of the data by the receiving means so that receipt of the datais as yet not completed until the billing processing by the billingmeans comes to a close after the volume of the data received has reacheda predetermined value. The display means demonstrates the receivingstate of the data by the receiving means so that receipt of the data isas yet not completed until the billing processing by the billing meanscomes to a-close after the end of receipt of the data.

[0007] The inhibiting means inhibits interruption processing by theinterrupting means until the billing processing by the billing meanscomes to a close after the volume of the data received has reached apredetermined value. The interrupting means may include means forturning off power supply means.

[0008] The present invention also provides an information processingmethod including a receiving step of receiving data, an interruptingstep of interrupting receipt processing of the data partway, a billingstep of billing for the received data and an inhibiting step ofinhibiting the interruption processing by the interruption step untilcompletion of billing processing by the billing step.

[0009] The present invention also provides a program for a recordingmedium including a receiving step of receiving data, an interruptingstep of interrupting receipt processing of the data partway, a billingstep of billing for the received data and an inhibiting step ofinhibiting the interruption processing by the interruption step untilcompletion of billing processing by the billing step.

[0010] The present invention also provides a computer readable programfor having a computer execute a receiving step of receiving data, aninterrupting step of interrupting receipt processing of the datapartway, a billing step of billing for the received data and aninhibiting step of inhibiting the interruption processing by theinterruption step until completion of billing processing by the billingstep.

[0011] With the information processing method and apparatus, recordingmedium and the program according to the present invention, it ispossible to inhibit the interruption of data receipt processing untilthe billing processing comes to a close.

[0012] Other objects, features and advantages of the present inventionwill become more apparent from reading the embodiments of the presentinvention as shown in the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the structure of a contentsupplying system according to the present invention.

[0014]FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the outer structure of aterminal unit unified to a telephone set shown in FIG. 1.

[0015]FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the structure of a portion ofa back side of the terminal unit unified to a telephone set shown inFIG. 2.

[0016]FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the structure of the terminalunit unified to a telephone set shown in FIG. 1.

[0017]FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the structure of a billingserver shown in FIG. 1.

[0018]FIG. 6 illustrates the operation of the system shown in FIG. 1.

[0019]FIG. 7 shows an instance of a picture illustrating the contentdownloading state.

[0020]FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 illustrating an instance of apicture illustrating the content downloading state.

[0021]FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrating an instanceof a picture illustrating the content downloading state.

[0022]FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 showing anembodiment of a picture illustrating the content downloading state.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0023] An embodiment of applying the present invention to a contentfurnishing system is hereinafter explained.

[0024] The content furnishing system, according to the presentinvention, is configured as shown in FIG. 1.

[0025] A key server 21, forming a content furnishing system, accordingto the present invention, has stored therein a content key used fordecoding the content supplied by content server 22 to a terminal unitintegrated to a telephone set 501 and is responsive to a request fromthe terminal unit integrated to a telephone set 501 to send the contentkey to the terminal unit integrated to a telephone set 501. Beforesending the content key, the key server 21 and the terminal unitintegrated to a telephone set 501 execute the processing of reciprocalauthentication, with the key server 21 encrypting the content key with atransient key co-owned by the processing of the reciprocalauthentication to transmit the encrypted content key to the terminalunit integrated to a telephone set 501. The terminal unit integrated toa telephone set 501 decodes the received content key with the co-ownedtransient key.

[0026] A content server 22 is responsive to the request from theterminal unit integrated to a telephone set. 501 to send the contentencrypted with for example the using conditions for the content to theterminal unit integrated to a telephone set 501 over for example acommunication network 4, such as the Internet.

[0027] A shop server 23 furnishes digital data, pertinent to contentsupplied by the content server 22, to the terminal unit integrated to atelephone set 501, while supplying for example the URL (Uniform ResourceLocator) of the content server 22, supplying the content, and the URLetc of the key server 21 supplying the content key decoding the content,to the terminal unit integrated to a telephone set 501, in order to copewith a content purchasing request from the terminal unit integrated to atelephone set 501. The digital data pertinent to the content includesthe name or the price of the music air of the content, a list of thecontents and so forth.

[0028] A billing server 24 executes billing processing for the terminalunit integrated to a telephone set 501 which has purchased the contentover the communication network 4.

[0029] The terminal unit integrated to a telephone set 501 is designedso that a memory card 2 may be loaded thereon, and is connected over awireless route to the communication network 4. The terminal unitintegrated to a telephone set 501 downloads the content, received fromthe content server 22, over the communication network 4, along with forexample the using condition data, to cause the content and the useconditions therefor in a memory card 2 loaded thereon. The contenthandled is compressed and encrypted in accordance with a predeterminedformat.

[0030] Based on the use condition data, relevant to the content, theterminal unit integrated to a telephone set 501 reproduces the contentstored in the loaded memory card 2 to output the reproduced data to anaudio reproducing unit 607 (see FIG. 4 as explained later). A usercarrying the terminal unit integrated to a telephone set 501 is able todownload desired content at a desired site to cause the content to bestored in the memory card 2. The user may cause the content stored inthe memory card 2 to be reproduced by the terminal unit integrated to atelephone set 501 to listen to the music as content with for example anaudio reproducing unit 607.

[0031] A display operating system module 511 allows data pertinent tocontent, such as musical air title or use conditions, to be displayed,while allowing for example downloading commands to be input and allowingan LCM (Licenced Compliant Module) for client 512 of the terminal unitintegrated to a telephone set 501 to execute the processingcorresponding to the commands. The LCM for client 512 of the cooperateswith an LCM for server 514 of an authentication 503 to execute a seriesof operations of downloading the use condition data and the content etc.The series of operations will be explained subsequently in detail.

[0032] The LCM for client 512 of the terminal unit integrated to atelephone set 501 is made up by a set of modules designed for managingcontrol to permit the content to be used only under using conditionsspecified by a copyright owner in connection with individual contents.The use conditions include content reproducing conditions, contentcopying conditions, content moving conditions or content storageconditions.

[0033] The LCM for client 512 performs authentication as to whether ornot the memory card 2 loaded on the terminal unit integrated to atelephone set 501 is an authentic one. With the progress of processing,such as content movement, the LCM for client 512 generates andsupervises a necessary key or controls the communication with the memorycard 2 connected thereto.

[0034] An authentication server 503 executes an LCM for server 514 toexecute the processing for authentication with the key server 21 tocomply with a request from the terminal unit integrated to a telephoneset 501 as an entity of the reciprocal authentication. Following theprocessing of reciprocal authentication with the key server 21, theauthentication server 503 receives a content key from the key server 21to supply the received content key to the terminal unit integrated to atelephone set 501.

[0035] The terminal unit integrated to a telephone set 501 is able toexecute authentication processing with the key server 21 to acquire thecontent key.

[0036] The outer structure of the terminal unit integrated to atelephone set 501 is hereinafter explained. The terminal unit integratedto a telephone set 501 is made up by a display unit 301 and a main bodyunit 302, and is collapsible at a center hinge 303, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0037] A display unit 301 includes an antenna for transmission/reception304. The terminal unit integrated to a telephone set 501transmits/receives electrical waves with a base station, as a stationaryradio station, over antenna 304, by way of communication with eachserver connected to the communication network 4. This display unit 301includes a camera unit 305 which may be rotated through an angularextent of approximately 180°. The terminal unit integrated to atelephone set 501 images a desired object by a CCD (charge-coupleddevice) camera 306 of the camera unit 305.

[0038] When the camera unit 305 is rotated through approximately 180°and positioned by the user, the display unit 301 is positioned such thata loudspeaker 307 provided at the center of the back side of the cameraunit 305 is oriented towards the front side. This switches the terminalunit integrated to a telephone set 501 to the usual call state.

[0039] The display unit 301 includes a liquid crystal display 308 on itsfront side. The liquid crystal display 308 demonstrates the contents ofan electronic mail, a simplified home page, an image picked up with theCCD camera 306 or an image of a map indicating a route, in addition tothe state of receiving electrical waves, residual cell capacity, namesof callees registered as a telephone directory, and the transmissionhysteresis.

[0040] The main body unit 302 also includes, on its surface, numericalkeys of from 0 to 9, operating keys 309, such as call keys, re-dialkeys, clear keys or E-mail keys. A power supply button 320, as one ofthe operating keys 309, is pressed when turning the power supply on oroff or when terminating the call. A variety of commands corresponding tothe operation of the operating keys 309 are input to the terminal unitintegrated to a telephone set 501. A memo button 310 and a microphone311 are provided on an underside of the operating keys 309 of the mainbody unit 302. When the memo button 310 is pressed, the terminal unitintegrated to a telephone set 501 records the callee's speech. Theterminal unit integrated to a telephone set 501 collects the callee'sspeech during the call with the microphone 311.

[0041] A rotatable jog dial 312 is mounted to the upper side of theoperating keys 309 of the main body unit 302 in such a state that thejog dial is protruded slightly from the surface of the main body unit302. The terminal unit integrated to a telephone set 501 is responsiveto the rotating operation for the jog dial 312 to execute a variety ofoperations, such as scrolling a list of the telephone directory or anelectronic mail, demonstrated on the liquid crystal display 308, pagingthe simplified home page, or image feeding.

[0042] For example, the main body unit 302 is responsive to the user'soperation of rotating the jog dial 312 to select the desired telephonenumber from plural telephone numbers of the list of the telephonedirectory demonstrated on the liquid crystal display 308. When the jogdial 312 is thrust towards the interior of the main body unit 302, themain body unit 302 determines the selected telephone number to performan automatic calling operation for the determined telephone number.

[0043] On the back side of the main body unit 302 is mounted a batterypack, not shown. When the power supply button 320 is activated, thepower is supplied from the battery pack to respective circuits to setthe operable state of the main body unit.

[0044] In an upper portion of the left side surface of the main bodyunit 302 is formed a memory card slot 313 in which to load the removablememory card 2. When the memory card 2, in which data of an image of amap indicating the route is stored, is loaded in the memory card slot313, the terminal unit integrated to a telephone set 501 reads out(reproduces) data of the image from the memory card 2 to display theimage of the map indicating the route on the liquid crystal display 308.

[0045] When the memo button 310 is pressed, the terminal unit integratedto a telephone set 501 records the callee's speech on the loaded memorycard 2. Responsive to the user's operation, the terminal unit integratedto a telephone set 501 records the electronic mail, simplified home pageand an image picked up by the CCD camera 306 on the loaded memory card2.

[0046] The memory card 2 is formed by Memory Stick, which is a sort ofthe flash memory card developed by SONY COOPERATION, an assignee of thepresent application. This memory card 2 is comprised of a flash memorydevice, a sort of the an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and ProgrammableRead-Only Memory) which is an electrically rewritable and erasablenon-volatile memory, housed within a small-sized thin type plasticcasing 21.5 mm length, 50 mm width and 2.8 mm thickness. The MemoryStick enables various data, such as images, speech or music, to bewritten and read out via 10-pin terminals.

[0047] The memory card 2 uses a unique serial protocol, capable ofproviding for interchangeability for an equipment used, even on theoccasion of changes in specifications of the enclosed flash memories,brought about by for example an increased capacity, and achieves a highspeed performance of the maximum write speed of 1.5 MB/sec and a maximumreadout speed of 2.45 MB/sec, while also achieving high reliabilitythrough provision of an inadvertent erasure prohibiting switch.

[0048] Since the memory card 2 can be loaded on the terminal unitintegrated to a telephone set 501, data can be co-owned through thememory card 2 with for example other electronic equipment, such aspersonal computer.

[0049]FIG. 4 illustrates an internal structure of the terminal unitintegrated to a telephone set 501. A CPU (Central Processing Unit) 601actually executes the various programs stored in a ROM (Read-Onlymemory) 602 or a RAM (Random-Access Memory) 603. The ROM 602 is formedby an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read-Only Memory)or a flash memory, and generally stores basically fixed data among theprograms or operating parameters used by the CPU 601. The RAM 603 isformed by an SRAM (Static RAM), and stores programs used in theprocessing executed by the CPU 601 or parameters that are optionallychanged during the program execution.

[0050] An input unit 605 is formed by an operating key 309, a microphone311 etc and is acted on by the operator for inputting various commandsto the CPU 601 or inputting the speech. The liquid crystal display 308demonstrates the various information by text or images.

[0051] An audio reproducing unit 607 includes a loudspeaker 307 andreproduces callee's speech data supplied from the communication unit 608or the content stored in the memory card 2 and supplied via interface609.

[0052] The communication unit 608 is connected to the communicationnetwork 4 and stores data supplied from the CPU 601, such as a contenttransmission request or user's speech data supplied from the input unit605, in a packet of a predetermined format, to transmit the data overthe communication network 4. The communication unit 608 outputs the datastored in the received packet, such as content or the data of thecallee's speech, to the CPU 601, RAM 603, speech reproducing unit 607 orto the interface 609.

[0053] The interface 609 causes the data supplied from the CPU 601, RAM603 or the communication unit 608 to be stored in the loaded memory card2, while causing data, such as content, to be read out from the loadedmemory card 2 and sent to the CPU 601, RAM 603 or to the speechreproducing unit 607

[0054] To the interface 610 is connected an external drive 631, whichexternal drive 631 reads out data or a program, recorded in a magneticdisc 641, an optical disc 642, inclusive of a CD-ROM, a magneto-opticaldisc 643 or a semiconductor memory 644, to send the data or program tothe ROM 602 or to the RAM 603, connected over interface 610 and bus 604.

[0055] The components from CPU 601 through to interface 610 areinterconnected over bus 604.

[0056]FIG. 5 illustrates the structure of the billing server 24. A CPU651 actually executes various application programs, which will beexplained in detail subsequently, and an OS (operating system). The CPU651 typically causes basically fixed data, among the programs oroperating parameters it uses, to be stored in the ROM 652. The RAM 653stores the program used in thee execution of the CPU 651 and parameterschanged from time to time during program execution. These components areinterconnected over a host bus 654 comprised for example of a CPU bus.The host bus 654 is connected via a bridge 655 to a PCI (PeripheralComponent Interconnect/Interface).

[0057] A keyboard 658 is acted on by the user for inputting variouscommands to the CPU 651. A pointing device 659 is acted on by the userfor pointing to or selecting a spot on the screen of a display 660. Thedisplay 660 is comprised for example of a liquid crystal display deviceor a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) for demonstrating the various informationwith text or images. An HDD (Hard Disc Drive) 661 drives a hard disc torecord or reproduce the information or the program executed by the CPU651.

[0058] A drive 662 reads out the data or the program, recorded on amagnetic disc 681, an optical disc 682, a magneto-optical disc 683, or asemiconductor memory 684, to send the data or the program to the RAM653, to which the RAM is connected via interface 657, external bus 656,bridge 655 or host bus 654.

[0059] The components from the keyboard 658 through to the drive 662 areconnected to the interface 657, which interface 657 is connected throughexternal bus 656, bridge 655 and host bus 654 to the CPU 651.

[0060] To a communication unit 663 is connected the communicationnetwork 4, in such a manner that data supplied from the CPU 651 or theHDD 661, such as content key, is stored in a packet of a predeterminedformat and transmitted over communication network 4, while data storedin the received packet, such as the content, is output to the CPU 651,RAM 653 or to the HDD 661.

[0061] The communication unit 663 is connected via external bus 656,bridge 655 and host bus 654 to the CPU 651. The key server 21, contentserver 22, shop server 23 and the authentication server 503 are alsoconstructed similarly to the billing server 24, although the manner ofconstruction is not shown.

[0062] The operation of the content furnishing system is now explainedwith reference to FIG. 6. The content server 22 at step S21 transmitsthe content menu information over communication network 4 to theterminal unit integrated to a telephone set 501. On receipt at step S41of the content menu information through the communication network 608, acommunication module 513, loaded on the CPU of the terminal unitintegrated to a telephone set 501, transfers the content menuinformation at step S42 to the display operating system module 511.

[0063] On receipt at step S61 of the content menu information, thedisplay operating system module 511 outputs the received information tothe liquid crystal display 308 for display thereon. The user views thecontent menu information, demonstrated on the liquid crystal display 308to act on the input unit 605 to select the content desired to bedownloaded.

[0064] Based on a command from the user, the display operating systemmodule 511 at step S62 outputs the content selection information and adownload command to the communication module 513.

[0065] On receipt of the content selecting information and a downloadcommand at step S43, the communication module 513 controls thecommunication unit 608 at step S44 to transmit the content selectinginformation and a downloading request over communication network 4- tothe content server 22.

[0066] On receipt at step S22 of the content selection information andthe download command, the content server 22 proceeds to authenticationprocessing with the LCM 512 of the terminal unit integrated to atelephone set 501, through the server for LCM 514 of the authenticationserver 503. If the correct authentication information has been acquired,the data of the specified content and the content ID specifying thecontent are sent through the communication network 4 to the LCM 512.

[0067] The server for LCM 514 is responsive to the request from theterminal unit integrated to a telephone set 501, authenticated by thereciprocal authentication, to execute the authentication processing withthe key server 21. Followingthe processing of reciprocal authenticationwith the key server 21, the server for LCM 514 of the authenticationserver 503 receives a content key from the key server 21 and sends thereceived content key to the terminal unit integrated to a telephone set501.

[0068] On receipt at step S81 of the content data and the content ID,the LCM 512 of the terminal unit integrated to a telephone set 501causes the content data and the content ID to be transiently stored inthe RAM 603 and to be then supplied through interface 609 to the memorycard 2 for storage therein.

[0069] At step S82, the LCM 512 outputs a display request to the displayoperating system module 511 to cause display matched to the data volumeof the downloaded content data.

[0070] On receipt of this request at step S63, the display operatingsystem module 511 causes a picture, indicating the downloading process,shown in FIG. 7, to be demonstrated on the liquid crystal display 308.In an embodiment of FIG. 7, the title of the musical air beingdownloaded, a numerical figure corresponding to the downloaded datavolume at the relevant time, and an interrupt button 321 acted on ininterrupting the downloading, are displayed. In the case of the presentembodiment, the numerical figure corresponding to the downloaded datavolume is to be lesser than the actual data volume, for example 50%.

[0071] The LCM 512 at step S83 performs the processing of validating thekey used for decoding the encrypted content. When the downloaded datavolume has reached 100%, that is when the downloading processing hasinternally been terminated, the LCM 512 at step S84 executes thedownload end processing. That is, the LCM 512 inhibits the interruptingprocessing of the downloading processing until the time of notificationof the end of the billing processing. Stated differently, if theinterrupt button 321 is acted on before such time, the CPU 601 causesthe down loading processing to be interrupted.

[0072] In the download end processing, the LCM 12 at step S85 outputs anoperating system invalidating command to the display operating systemmodule 511. On receipt at step S64 of an operating system invalidatingcommand from the LCM 512, the display operating system module 511inhibits the use of the interrupt button 321, while controlling theliquid crystal display 308 to switch the display state of the interruptbutton 321 to a state different from the usable state of FIG. 7, asshown for example in FIG. 8. Moreover, the display operating systemmodule 511 inhibits the use of the power supply button 320 of theterminal unit integrated to a telephone set 501 and turns off its backlight to set a state different from the state shown in FIG. 7. Theresult is that, if the user acts on the interrupt button 321 or thepower supply button 320, this operation is not accepted, that is theoperation is ineffective. That is, the downloading processing cansubsequently not be interrupted. On the other hand, the user is able torecognize, from the button display, that the interruption is notfeasible.

[0073] It is noted that the data volume displayed is not 100%, but 80%,that is smaller than the actual data volume, as shown in FIG. 8. Thismay frustrate the user's intention to interrupt the downloading partway.

[0074] At step S86, the LCM 512 outputs a command for invalidating theoperating system and subsequently outputs a billing request to thecommunication module 513. In this billing request, there are contained auser ID of the terminal unit integrated to a telephone set 501 and acontent ID of the content being downloaded.

[0075] After receiving the billing request, the communication module 513at step S46 outputs the billing request to the billing server 24.

[0076] On receipt of the request from the communication module 513through the communication unit 663, the CPU 651 of the billing server 24at step S2 executes the billing processing. That is, the CPU performsthe processing of billing for the purchase of the content of the contentID.

[0077] Then, at step S3, the CPU 651 of the billing server 24 outputs anOK signal indicating the completion of the billing to the communicationmodule 513.

[0078] On receipt of the OK signal at step S47, the communication module513 at step S48 transfers this OK signal to the LCM 512.

[0079] On receipt of this OK signal at step S47, the LCM 512 at step S48cancels the interruption processing inhibiting state to notify thedisplay operating system module 511 of the completion of downloading.The display operating system module 511 at step S67 receives thisdownload completion notification.

[0080] At step S89, the LCM 512 outputs a command for validating theoperating system next to the download completion notification of stepS88.

[0081] On receipt of the command for validating the operating system,the display operating system module 511 at step S68 changes the imageindicating the download state to a state shown in FIG. 9. That is, inthe embodiment of FIG. 9, it is shown that the downloaded data volume is100%, with the interrupt button 321 being changed to the usable state.Moreover, the display operating system module 511 changes the powersupply button 320 to the operation enabling state.

[0082] The display operating system module 511 then at step S69 executesthe processing for demonstrating the completion of downloading. That is,the display operating system module 511 changes the display on theliquid crystal display 308 to a state shown in FIG. 10. In theembodiment of FIG. 10, the title of the music air and a message reading:[Downloading end] are displayed. The user may thus be advised of thecompletion of downloading.

[0083] In the above-described embodiment, the lesser volume of thedownloaded content data is displayed than the actual data volume and,when the volume of the downloaded content data has reached 100%, that iswhen the volume of the downloading processing has internally beencompleted, the operation fo the interrupt button 321 or the power supplybutton 320 is inhibited. It is however possible to display the actualdata volume and the operation of the interrupt button 321 and theoperation of the power supply button 320 may be inhibited when thedownloaded content data has reached 80%.

[0084] If prolonged time, such as 30 seconds, is taken in the billingprocessing, there is a fear that the user takes this state as being dueto the malfunction of the terminal unit integrated to a telephone set501.

[0085] Thus, if a timer is activated after the LCM 512 has issued abilling request, such that the billing OK signal is not received afterlapse of for example 10 seconds, a downloading completion notificationmay be issued at step S88 to the LCM 512. Although there is a fear thatthe billing processing is not carried out completely, the user may notfeel uneasy in such case.

[0086] In the foregoing, the content is downloaded by the terminal unitintegrated to a telephone set 501. Alternatively, the content data maybe downloaded not to the terminal unit integrated to a telephone set 501but to a personal computer, portable telephone set, PDA (PersonalDigital Assistant), a digital video cassette tape recorder having acommunication and imaging function, an electronic memo device with acommunication function, or a portable personal computer.

[0087] Although the content is the music air data in the above-describedembodiment, the present invention may also be applied in case the it isnot the music sound data but the still image data, moving picture data,text data or program data that is downloaded.

[0088] Although the above-described sequence of operations may beexecuted by the hardware, it may also be executed by the software. Whenthe sequence of the processing operations is executed by the software, aprogram forming the software is installed from a program storage mediumto a computer having a dedicated hardware installed thereon or to apersonal computer that is able to execute various functions byinstalling various programs.

[0089] A program storage medium for storage of a program installed onand executed by a computer is formed by magnetic discs 641, 681,inclusive of floppy discs, optical discs 642, 682, inclusive of CD-ROM(Compact Disc-Read-Only Memory) and DVD (Digital Versatile Disc),magneto-optical discs 643, 683, inclusive of MD (Mini-Disc), packagemediums, such as semiconductor memories 644, 684, ROMs 602, 652, or HDD661, in which the program may be stored transiently or permanently. Theprogram may be stored in the program storage medium through thecommunication unit 608 or 663 or through a wired or wirelesscommunication medium, such as local area network, Internet or digitalsatellite broadcast.

[0090] In the explanation of the present invention, the steps statingthe program stored in a program storage medium include the processingwhich is not necessarily carried out chronologically, but carried out inparallel or individually, in addition to, of course, the processingcarried out chronologically in accordance with the stated sequence.

[0091] In the above explanation, the system represents the entireapparatus formed by plural devices.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0092] According to the present invention, data receipt interruption isinhibited until the end of the billing processing, so that the billingprocessing can be carried out rel iably to prevent illicit dataacquisition.

1. An information processing apparatus comprising: receiving means forreceiving data; interrupting means for interrupting receipt processingof said data partway; billing means for billing for the received data;and inhibiting means for inhibiting the interruption processing by saidinterruption means until completion of billing processing by saidbilling means.
 2. The information processing apparatus as recited inclaim 1 further comprising: display means for demonstrating the state ofreceipt of said data by said receiving means so that receipt of saiddata is as yet not completed until the billing processing by saidbilling means comes to a close after the volume of the data received hasreached a predetermined value.
 3. The information processing apparatusas recited in claim 2 wherein said display means demonstrates thereceiving state of said data by said receiving means so that receipt ofsaid data is as yet not completed until the billing processing by saidbilling means comes to a close after the end of receipt of said data. 4.The information processing apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein saidinhibiting means inhibits interruption processing by said interruptingmeans until the billing processing by said billing means comes to aclose after the volume of the data received has reached a predeterminedvalue.
 5. The information processing apparatus as recited in claim 1wherein said interrupting means includes power supply means turn-offmeans.
 6. An information processing method comprising: a receiving stepof receiving data; an interrupting step of interrupting receiptprocessing of said data partway; a billing step of billing for thereceived data; and an inhibiting step of inhibiting the interruptionprocessing by said interruption step until completion of billingprocessing by said billing step.
 7. A recording medium having recordedthereon a computer-readable program comprising: a receiving step ofreceiving data; an interrupting step of interrupting receipt processingof said data partway; a billing step of billing for the received data;and an inhibiting step of inhibiting the interruption processing by saidinterruption step until completion of billing processing by said billingstep.
 8. A program for having a computer execute a receiving step ofreceiving data; an interrupting step of interrupting receipt processingof said data partway; a billing step of billing for the received data;and an inhibiting step of inhibiting the interruption processing by saidinterruption step until completion of billing processing by said billingstep.